title: [Clinical and microbiological features of severe infectious keratitis during heatwaves].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study clinical and microbiological features of patients with severe microbial keratitis during a heatwave. To evaluate the links between disease severity, causative micro-organisms and temperature variation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of patients with microbial keratitis hospitalized in a referral center during the summer months (between June 1, 2009 and September 30, 2009), separated into two groups by date of hospitalization (heatwave vs non-heatwave). Prevalence and daytime temperatures were compared for data collected during the summers of 2009 (heatwave), 2008 (temperate) and 2003 (prolonged heatwave).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-three patients were hospitalized during the summer of 2009, with an average age of 51 years and an average stay of 15 days. The primary predisposing factor was the use of contact lenses (36%), followed by pre-existing corneal disease (15%) and systemic disease (15%). Prevalence of severe keratitis was higher in periods of heatwaves vs periods of no heatwaves (mean 9.8 patients vs 3.1, P<0.001). Best corrected visual acuity progressed from 1/30 at admission to 1/10 at 1 month after discharge (P<0.001). The most common bacteria identified were Gram-positive cocci (CNS 27%) and Pseudomonas (23%). Microbiological results were similar in the two groups. Similar variations between the prevalence of severe keratitis and daytime temperatures were found for the summer of 2009 as well as for the summers of 2008 and 2003.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There appears to be a link between climatic temperature variations and the prevalence of severe microbial keratitis.
authors.affiliation: Service d'ophtalmologie, hospices civils de Lyon, hôpital Édouard-Herriot, CHU de Lyon, 5, place d'Arsonval, 69437 Lyon cedex 03, France. Electronic address: elolabeille@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: É
authors.initials: É
authors.lastname: Labeille-Poizat
authors.forename: P-L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Cornut
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Feldman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Bats
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sebilleau
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cheggour
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Denis
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Burillon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007634:Keratitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cornea; Cornée; Infectious keratitis; Keratitis; Kératite; Kératite bactérienne